SAN JOSE – If the Sharks are going to start the season 2-0, they’re going to have to beat a goalie who has pretty much owned them in recent years.

That’d be Mike Smith, of course, and that match-up is the focus of the online story just filed that you can now find here.

But beyond that, a few things from the morning skate were also worth passing along.

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Like the response Todd McLellan gave when asked if coaches use the off-season to evaluate their own game and maybe make adjustments going forward.

“Once you establish yourself with a group of players, you can’t come in and be something you weren’t the year before,” McLellan said.

“I’m not a raving lunatic when I go in there, I’m not breaking sticks over stereos or anything like that. I think if I did that once, they’d look and go ‘who is this idiot?’ It’s as simple as that. You have to be who you are. You have to live in your own skin. And once you’ve been around for a while, you’re not tricking anybody in there.”

So he’s not Colorado Avalanche Coach Patrick Roy?

Diplomatically, McLellan didn’t go much beyond noting that Roy was 2-0 as an NHL coach.

****John McCarthy will skate on the Sharks fourth line with Andrew Desjardins and James Sheppard on Saturday night. At 27, McCarthy has two goals and two assists in 51 games for San Jose spread over three seasons, but appeared in camp to have dropped below younger players such as Freddie Hamilton on the depth chart.

But while Hamilton made the NHL’s opening day roster, it was McCarthy who got the call-up from McLellan, who had advised him to keep his head up while being sent down.

“He said you had a good camp, don’t get down and just keep playing my game and things would work out,” McCarthy said.

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Still it was disappointing.

“Yeah, you always want to make the team so it’s a little disappointing,” he said. “But you’ve got to kind of take it in stride and keep working hard. I think the biggest thing is don’t try to do too much, just play my game and that’s what I’m focused on doing.”

****That’ll be the only lineup change as Brad Stuart was deemed not yet ready for game action.

****The big-name addition to the Phoenix lineup during the off-season was Mike Ribeiro, the playmaking center whose 36 assists last abbreviated season were three more than Joe Thornton recorded and fifth best in the NHL.

“Patience with the puck,” McLellan responded when asked what Ribeiro brings. “He can hold onto it and hold onto it and make plays. He loves to hit that next layer of player entering the zone and it fits this team very well because they activate their D all the time.”

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

I have to admit to doing a double take when I saw the stories about that bozo at ESPN. Glad that’s a different Dave Pollack!

Go Sharks! Should be a good game tonight.

J B

Ours doesn’t get a “c” just an “a”.

Russell Barnett

Ah, right you are. Fixed.

Phat Stat Phil

Interesting that McLellan’s keeping Hamilton on the shelf for another game. Not that there’s anything wrong with McCarthy. It just makes you wonder if there’s an injury or if he’s trying to get Hamilton to play a little harder.

I’m not happy about Ribiero ending up in Phoenix. Would have loved to see him become a Shark, but I don’t think he was ever in the running. Considering he played for Washington, I wonder if McLellan will match him against Kennedy’s line for familiarity.

J B

Since it was mentioned above, I finally found a moment to see the video that compelled the league to fine Patrick Roy $10k.
As the monetary disparity suggests, Doug Wilson’s public comment on the league’s suspension of Torres in the playoffs, wrapped in the sheep’s clothing of polite and reasoned disagreement, was clearly TEN TIMES more egregious than Roy’s tantrum. Indeed, one might wonder how did the league let Wilson off so easily! Should he not have had his tongue cut out or lost an arm to a machete? Toughen up, NHL!

Buddy Elf

Hertl!!! Wasn’t everyone last year saying the Sharks had nothing in their farm system

Dirty

Who wants more Hertl Soup?

Dirty

Who wants some more Hertl Soup?

Alex

I definitely missed something so can somebody tell me where Brad Stuart is? Injury? If yes, I know the Sharks rarely provide any info on their injured players but any tome table for his return? Thanks.

Snow Shovel

WOW, Tomash, you’ve made me a believer!

SactoShark

Injured

SactoShark

Ranked 1000Th in the NHL as I recall

SactoShark

Be back in the next 30 days

Beer League Rocks

Technically he was Sharks property, but not actually in the farm system last season.

Alex

Thanks.

Buddy Elf

Touché … But one of the reasons people said our farm system was bare was poor drafting.

Beer League Rocks

Yes, that and trading away picks and prospects…

Buddy Elf

Some of those aren’t doing much… Like Sgarbossa who didn’t even crack the Avs opening roster.

Most things whined about here have a bit of truth to them but people make statements that are so black and white they leave no room for discussion and when they are called on it, they amp up the ridiculousness.

Keepin people honest. And thanks for keepin me honest. If I am wrong I will admit it.

Beer League Rocks

I don’t have a problem with Doug Wilson trying to improve the team by trading unproven talent or draft picks for proven NHL players. Some work out, some not so much. The cupboards did seem pretty bare. I wasn’t trying to keep you honest, just adding on to your thought.

RicciRocks

Hertl looked good: scoring touch, in front of the net…also saw him being responsible defensively. Nieto ok but I’ll wait until I see more. 51 shots and it wasn’t always pass it back to the blue line. 2-0. I’ll take it.

G-bum-man

Hertl-ing onto the scoresheet again! Kid is going to be a beast! Maybe premature to say it, but it is starting to look like Havlat and his 5 million cap hit are expendable.
Now if DW can just get a good 4th line player or two….this team could be frighteningly good.